Shadow Consensus: A New War Being Cooked Up Against Sanaa

NYN | Reports and Analyses 

The political and military landscape in the region is witnessing a dangerous escalation, with clear signs of an emerging U.S.-Israeli consensus to wage a direct war against Sanaa.

Recent overlapping statements over the past hours have indicated agreement between Washington and Tel Aviv on the option of direct military confrontation with Sanaa, due to its military positions in support of the Gaza Strip.

Israeli Finance Minister, in a stark portrayal of the Yemeni front, stated: “We haven’t finished with the Houthis (Ansar Allah) yet. We must eliminate their government in Sanaa… They are an unexpected threat.” He described Ansar Allah as having evolved into a vast ground-based infrastructure that requires a different approach to deal with.

Simultaneously, a prominent Republican senator further intensified the rhetoric. Lindsey Graham openly called for increased military pressure on what he termed “regional outlaws” — referring to those rejecting U.S. dominance. He declared: “The Middle East will never see peace unless you deal with Ansar Allah in Yemen and Hezbollah in Lebanon.”The statement drew condemnation and warnings from human rights groups concerned about the consequences of any escalation.

These mutual positions have revived warnings from observers that any direct military action against Sanaa could spark a broader escalation, threatening maritime navigation, regional security, and putting civilians at grave risk.

This U.S.-Israeli alignment, coming at the same time as the suspension of the war in Gaza, raises questions about the objectives of the next phase of escalation — particularly amid growing discussions that Ansar Allah has become a significant regional force after targeting deep inside Israel and U.S. aircraft carriers in the Red Sea.